Most Christians are acquainted with these patterns of behavior: relentless fault-finding, gossip, and the tendency to be easily offended. "Out of the Courtroom..." exposes the root of these destructive patterns: idolatry. Every human lives as an idol-a counterfeit judge who presides over his or her own life-until the coming of Jesus Christ and his enthronement on the judgment seat of the human heart.

For a Christian, it cannot be surprising that this idolatry reigns in the world. But the hard truth is that destructive human judgment is easily observable in the life and witness of the Church and its members-a fundamental part of our disposition toward ourselves and others which robs us of much of our freedom in Jesus Christ and severely inhibits our formation into his likeness.

THE CHALLENGE

"Anyone who desires to become a living witness to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and to know the freedom and power of life lived as a child of God must come to terms with this: unless Jesus is your only judge, he is not your only Lord.

""Out of the Courtroom, Into the Father's House" is a profound and vital teaching for the Church of Christ. This revelation of the far-reaching significance and true meaning of Jesus' words 'do not judge' illuminates a path of personal healing and liberation. Even more importantly, it opens a powerful way for the Church to live in the grace and truth of Jesus Christ whom she embodies." -Dr. Linda Stalley, co-leader, the Maranatha Community, UK